Paige
by ElectriConnection
Summary: Paige, a 14 year old vampire, meets another vampire--Gregory--who's family is a little too odd for your average vampire family. When an astonishing discovery is in progress, she begins to doubt them. Are they the good guys, or the bad guys...or both?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"There's something not quite right," I said to myself. My roommate looked at me with curious eyes. Her name is Queenie, and she is very small with sharp, yet still beautiful features. Her wide light-blue eyes questionned me, though reading them, she knew I would say no more.

She wasn't ready to give up.

"Paige, you know--" she started before I cut her off.

"Okay, what do you want from me? Stop following me!" I shouted a little too loudly for 9:00 PM, it would wake up all the other girls at this orpheanage. I stomped out of my little room, barely big enough to hold two single beds and two very limited dressers. She followed my path into the long hallway, and as I expected, Mrs. Winston--the nicest teacher here--came out of the small turn ahead of me with a candle and looked at me strangly. Observing, almost.

"What do you girls think you're doing?" she tried to use her severe voice, though it never worked. She frowned but it never looked like a threat because of her beautiful, young face. She had a light tan and odd green eyes, dark blond hair and thin lips.

"Nothing, right Queenie?" I asked, turning my head halfway toward her so I could see her peripherally.

"Not at all, Mrs. Winston," Queenie breathed smoothly. She looked at the teacher with her most sophisticated and charming smile. I knew that trick perfectly now, and enough for it not to work on me anymore.

"Well go on, off to bed." she pushed us toward our door without actually touching us, "Lights out!" she whisper-shouted behind her shoulder.

I shut the door behind me and glared at Queenie. Being with her for this long had it's advandages. like, even though Queenie--technically--two years younger than me, I wasn't afraid to scare or intimidate her anymore. Because I knew her reaction. She would try to intimidate me back, a natural instinct for a twelve year old. Or stick her tongue out, witchever.

"Go to bed." I ordered her. She looked at me for a moment, and then spun on her heels and lay down in her bed. Her back was turned to me, and I was thankful she wasn't looking at me anymore, so I didn't have to keep my angry face on and just feel bad.

About fifteen minutes later, I could hear her soft, even breathing from the other side of the room. I knew well whe she was faking it, and she wasn't this time. "Time to go," I told my self mentally, to not wake up little Queenie.

The window in between our beds was fairly small, but I managed to crawl out every night. No only to escape all the rules, the teacher, the normal humans, but to be myself for once in the day. Not having to worry about accidentaly spilling my secret to everyone felt exceptionnally well. Like in the darkness of the night, all my secrets were protected, envelopped by a thick blanket of pitch black.

Our room was on the fourth floor, but it never held me back from jumping. Only my secret protected me from hitting my head on the brick walkway beside the large building as I jumped.

"There's nothing better than this," I whispered to myself. And then, I was running.

The dark, gloomy trees blurred past me as I sped past them in excitement. Thrilling is the perfect word to call this unforgetable experience, no matter how many times I experienced i. The trees looked so weak, so feeble to me as I ran over three-hundred kilometers per hour past them. That's when I saw it. The tempting little elk stood about one-hundred feet ahead of me, not even noticing me. Suddenly, I was the predator, and he was my prey. I crouched beneath the tall ferns and slowly walked forward, until he was but fifteen feet in front of me. A wicked smile colored my face, and the dry ache in my throat, the unclairity in my head, the small animal standing ahead of me . . . would all be gone very soon.

I crouched more and more until I was almost juste sitting on my heels, advanced my left foot until it passed my knee and pounced.

Instead of going straight back to the orphanage, I decided to let go and be free for a _whole_ night. I kept running freely in the deep forest, where you can't even see the sky in the day because of the canopy of trees over top. The air flying in a gush on my face, my feet barely touching the ground as I flew, the quiet night as I passed soundlessly through the woods invading the orphanage. If I lost everything, at least these feelings--these memories--would stay with me forever. Suddenly, my mind side-tracked. My instincs made me stop forcefully. That scent! I thought to myself. So recognizable, so familiar, yet unknown in two completely different ways. It's the scent of another vampire.

My head spun around me over and over again, searching in the black night. Could if be possible? I asked myself, Could there really be more of us? That question was answered as soon as I saw what stepped out of the thick gathering of bush roughly fifty feet to my left.

I spun to see what the movement was, and to my surprise--again--he was there. He was beautiful, just as any other vampire--including me--looked like. Completely inhumanly beautiful. His tousled, dirty-blond hair surrounded his profound jaw. He had a stange color of red mixed with my normal onyx in his eyes, yet still friendly. His face was the most beautiful face I'd ever seen.

"Oh!" he gasped when he saw me clearly in the underbush, staring straight at him.

"Hello, my name is Paige." I introduced myself shyly. I knew that even if I whispered, he could hear me. And he seemed to know exactly everything. Especially my specie.

He appeared in front of me in a flash, and shook my hand. His eye smolded in mine. I instantly wondered if I had that effect on people, but how much worst it would be.

"Hello, I'm Gregory. If I might ask, where do you live?" he asked without intrest. But I knew my kind better to recognize the curiosity burning feircly behind his beautiful eyes.

"Um. . . ." it took me a moment to hop back into my train of thought, "At the orphanage, about one kilometer from here." I pointed toward the general direction that I came from. "How about you? I haven't seen you around, ever." I challenged.

"I live about three miles in that direction." he pointed toward the opposite of where the orphanage is. "You live at the orphanage? But how? there are humans and--"

"We probably have different hunting habits. . . ." I murmured to myself, though I knew perfectly well that he could hear me.

"You . . . but how? How is that . . . possible? Doesn't it get tiring? All of those poolings of blood! And you have to eat _food_!" he shuddered severely, with a hint of exaggeration.

"Bearable, always bearable. It does get tough sometimes, though." I frowned. Thinking of all those times--when someone just happened to pass in between the heater and me, blowing their hair in my direction, or when someone ran in my path, hittng me with more mental force than possible physical force--became difficult. It was simply too easy to actually imagine the experience, so I stopped dreaming and focused on the present.

"I'd imagine so!" he said. "Why don't you come with me? I can show you around and my family."

"You . . . you have a family?" I sounded too surprised, even for me.

"Of course. Isn't it the law for someone under eighteen to be accompaneed by at least one guardian?" he winked at me.

"Well, yes, but. . . ." I was speechless. "Wait, exactly how old are you?"

"Technically, I'm fifteen, but if you count all those extra years, seventy-five years old." he observed for an overreaction. I tried to keep my expressions in tact.

"Wow," was all I could manage.

"You?"

"Technically, I'm fourteen, but if you count all those extra years, nineteen years old." I said. He laughed at my repetitivety and waved for me to follow him. I did.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

We ran through the forest, faster than I've ever ran before. Was it the excitement of finding another vampire? Was it the fact that I had never explored these extremities of the woods before? Or simply the fact that running at this speed was thrilling? I had no idea, but I didn't care. Focus on the present, or your past will become it and your future will be lost, I reminded myself. My great-grandmother would tell me that when I was but a little girl, no older than five years old. It's the only thing I can remember about her now; not even her complete appearance.

"Are we almost there?" I hesitated to ask my question, but after a while, it slipped through my lips.

I heard Gregory chuckle, though I could hear the wind rushing past my ears a lot more, "Yes, just a few more minutes, or so."

A few more minutes, or so, later I could clearly see a dimly lit opening in the thick underbrush of the forest. My head started to spin with worry. Who were these people? What if they don't like me--?

"Don't worry, everything will be alright," I heard him say a few feet in front of me. It sounded like more of a whisper from here, but I concentrated more on the fact that he answered my thoughts.

"Stop!" I shouted from behind. He slowed to a halt and looked at me. He looked at me like he made a mistake, but did not regret it.

"I know, I tried not to do that." He looked down.

"What did you do? Read my mind?" I frowned.

"Not quite." He was being smug.

I waited patiently fo him to explain, but he just kept looking at me, slightly coking his head. We were stopped now, a dozen feet from the opening.

"Alright, what is it then?" I pressed.

"It's not really mind reading. Some people like to call it that--and there is a such thing as mind reading itself--but they're a little different. See, I'm a little sensitive to the emotions people feel around me. Like, you were worried. I didn't know what you were worried about exactly, but I assumed I knew." He winked. "I can't manipulate the emotions around me, but my father told me it's coming . . . I hope." He smiled.

"Oh." I was stunned.

We walked the rest of the way, and he pushed aside the ferns in the way of the path. I would've blushed if I could, and I was embarrassed about that, witch made it even more embarrassing. He pretended not to notice.

"Here we are." He said seriously as we both stepped through the last of the ferns in the way.

The land opened in front of us like a carpet rolling out to let us pass. I could hear the bubbling sound of a rapid, but peaceful river nearby. But the most beautiful thing was the four story house standing ahead of us. It was an off-white color--cream, maybe?--and looked centuries old, but handled very well over the years. The flowers in the front garden were varying colors from white to pink to yellow to violet, and the brush trimmed perfectly, like it was done five minutes ago.

"You like it?" He asked, turning his head to me.

I realized that my jaw was hanging open, so I composed my expression and looked back at him. "Yes." I nodded once.

"Well, come in. Nothing to be afraid of, they're sort-of expecting you."

"Um . . . okay." I gulped. I'm sure he heard that as well as I did.

Greg–nickname?–opened the door to an even more astonishing mansion. The walls were either white or a pale lavender with matching furniture. There were decorations and there was a massive rug in the middle with unbelievable designs imprinted on it.

The door closed behind me. I didn't need to look back to know that Gregory wasn't the one to close it. Immediately, a big lump formed in my throat and I couldn't–wouldn't--speak. Greg seemed to sense my fear and nudged me softly. I knew it meant "No fear".

"Hello Paige Knowles. I am Casimer Justice. It's very nice to meet you," he greeted me, shaking my hand, "This is my wife, Rose." She appeared at my side.

"Hello, Paige." she nodded once. I hope they weren't mind readers, because to me, this was quite overwhelming. I ignored the fact that Casimer pronounced my first and last name correctly–and that he knew them.

"How do you know my name?" I blurted out. I didn't mean to, but it bubbled to my lips before I could restrain it.

He ignored me. I let it go for now, and I had a funny feeling that he knew that too. How odd. He led us up the double-staircase to a long hallway. Then, Gregory led me through the house.

"Would you like a tour?" he asked as a butler. I giggled softly and nodded politely with a smile.

We passed many rooms. He waved to them and introduced them as we slowly and quietly drifted through the swerving path in the castle.

Finally, we stopped in front of a room that he indicated as his room. He opened the door to a generally large and open room. The walls were a shade darker that gold and the rug, a few more shades darker. There was, of course, no bed but a dark brown, inviting couch in the far corner of the room and across from it was a sophisticated, silver and black sound system. Beside it was a tall shelf of CDs, witch I didn't want to touch. I was afraid of making it fall. I couldn't figure out how they were organized. Then I could clearly see it was alphabetical but the artist's last name.

"I think you'd better go. It will be dawn in a little while." his musical, soft voice broke the silence.

"Oh!" I remembered the orphanage, and Queenie, and my life. "Thank you. For everything, really." I smiled shyly.

"No problem. Stop by anytime." His smile was much more alluring that mine. But he seemed satisfied. I had a hard time concentrating with him smiling like that, like he had me on mental lockdown.

We ran through the house until we reached the front door. There, we stopped and the house was–seemed–empty. I turned to him and he was looking back at me. His reddish-gold eyes were mesmerizing. I was staring at him like an idiot, waiting for him to release his hold on me. He did, and I looked away, embarrassed.

"So, will you come back?" he began.

"I think so, unless Queenie woke up early in the night and found out I wasn't there," I frowned.

"Well then, you'd better get going." He said. I opened the door to head out, but he pulled me into his unbreakable grasp–even for me–and kissed me softly with his flawless lips. I was frozen, I couldn't move. Is this how it was going to be? Did I have a problem with it? Would I stop it? I had no idea, my brain was frozen solid. It couldn't move. Then he stopped. I could've sworn that, this time, I did blush deeply, but of course I didn't. He seemed to sense my self-cautiousness and bent down to me ear.

"Don't be embarrassed." he whispered in his softest, smoothest voice. "You are beautiful." I could hear the smile in his voice.

He let me go and I looked at him. I had a feeling that my last two mental questions were both No's, and I was happy with that. More that happy, thrilled. Ecstatic, even. I turned smoothly on my heels and walked out. Then, when I heard the door close, I raced through the forest, nervous about Queenie again. Nervous that I'd never see Gregory again. Nervous that this was a dream. Not an actual dream, like wen you're sleeping, but more of a day-dream. During the night. Night-dream. The forest passed in big blurs, the wind rushed past my ears, me eyes scanned the forest to memorize the underbrush. Something I've always been good at. The orphanage was in clear view, and my window was waiting frantically for me to climb back in silently. Like it was whispering to me. _"Hurry! Hurry! Climb in!"_ I did as my window ordered and snuck quietly back in bed, picking up my iPod on the way.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Half-an-hour later, Queenie woke up from her sleep. I was, as usual, already awake. Listening to my iPod is about the only this that can keep me busy long enough during the night. The angry music shouts in my ears, making it impossible to think. That's the point of this. I found it just too odd for a whole family of vampires nearby to suddenly appear in front of my face. Were they hiding? Not from the humans, but from me. Greg told me they were expecting me. What's that supposed to mean?

Ugh! Too many questions for now. I just want to tune them out! I shouted to myself mentally. I'll think about it later, I promised.

Just then, Queenie woke up. Almost every morning, I wondered if she ever suspected that I didn't sleep. I just crawled out the window and disappeared into the night. And the most intriguing question, what would she do about it? What would she think about it? Would she tell the teachers? Would she guess right?

"Good morning, Paige," she spoke. Small talk, her first morning priority.

"Did you sleep well?" I said.

"Yes, and you?"

"Of course."

Just then, Mrs. Jones–the English teacher–knocked quietly on our door. She peeked in and apparently, she thought we were still sleeping.

"You girls are up? Good, because my English classes are canceled today." she whispered.

"Why? Is there something wrong?" Queenie asked. Someday, I will inform her with the expression "Curiosity killed the cat."

"Well, something happened last night. Or maybe even this morning. In the science lab, all of the blood samples from nearby mammals have been stolen. And whoever did it left a real mess. I volunteered to help clean up."

Queenie was speechless, and I realized that I froze. Once Mrs. Jones left the room, I concentrated on moving every part of my body.

"What are you doing?" Queenie asked at one point.

"Nothing." It came out as a question.

"What's wrong, afraid of blood?" she laughed.

"Uh . . . yeah, that's it. I'm terrified of blood."

She laughed again, and then looked at me. I could tell she thought I was weird. _I_ thought I was weird, and I am. Well, it's not like you could call me your average human girl.

Queenie and I both got dressed, brushed out teeth and headed for class. Witch was the worst part of this, even worst that the night. The part I'm not out. Like sleeping, inactive between active periods.

"Did you hear what happened to the science lab last night?" Kelly O'Neil whispered to me in my Math class. She sat beside me in the next aisle, we rarely talked, but when it came to Math, everyone was desperate.

I nodded stiffly. By now, everyone must know that I'm "afraid of blood" witch is clearly not the case. A vampire who is afraid of blood is like a fish who is afraid of water. It doesn't work that way.

"Who would want blood samples? Or just blood, period." she continued. I wanted to laugh and say "Me! Me, the vampire," but I held back. That's about the only thing I hate about it. It's that I can't taste the warm spaghetti or the cold ice cream like I used to. It was delicious then, five years ago, but now it makes me want to throw up. I disgust the new me, the one who needs to drink blood and take a life to survive. I shuddered gently.

Kelly, of course, noticed and nodded.

"I don't like blood either." she said. Of course Queenie spread it, it's Queenie.

Finally, lunch time. Definitely not my favorite time, but better than school itself. I sat with Beth Furley, Riley Higgins and Mary Rae Sampson. I know them well enough to actually speak to them and consider them as friends.

We all picked up our trays, filled with chicken fingers, peas and mashed potato. Witch were, obviously, only powder. Our table was in the far corner of the entrance of the cafeteria. I felt a little odd with them because all three of them had dark, tanned skin. Though Riley was paler. I felt more comfortable with her. But Beth and Mary Rae were bronze-skinned with dirty blond hair. Riley, on the other hand, has the average skin tone with dark brown hair. I love the way she blushes, it colors her skin beautifully. And temptingly.

"Did you hear about the science lab?" Beth started, derailing my train of thought. It was usually her who started to talk first, she was best at finding a subject.

"Oh, come on, Beth! Everyone knows by now." Mary Rae intervened. It was like they were sisters, but only best friends in real life. Witch made Riley my closest friend. And, you can't forget Queenie.

"Yeah. Everyone's heard it. Now, I want to know who did it." Riley took her shot at being involved.

"I wonder who would have the guts. I mean, who would even want blood? Gross." Beth continued. This time, I did giggle gently. The three of them looked at me like my face deformed into a dog's face.

"What?" I asked.

"What's funny?" Riley looked at me, frowning.

"Nothing. . . ." I sighed. Sometimes, I wish only one person knew. Then I could laugh with someone else instead of myself all the time.

They let it go.

I unwillingly scooped up a spoonful of mashed potatoes and shoved it in my mouth. The taste was awful. But still bearable, so I chewed it swiftly and swallowed with a _gulp_ sound. If only the lunch-ladies knew what I have to do when I eat human food. Another reason why I have to go out almost every night. Only when I swallow some, though.

The lunch went by quickly. I, as usual, swallowed half the food on my tray, and dumped the rest in the garbage can. Since Beth and Mary Rae had already left, Riley and I were left walking out together. I was really beginning to like her, and be able to consider her as my best friend. Since tot many girls were actually brave enough to approach the quiet, unusually pale girl in the corner. And I could respect that, because if I were them, I wouldn't either. And I can admit it.

Riley slowly walked by my side until we reached our fourth class of the day, Geography. We purposely sit together, together as is aisle beside aisle, and we made up hand signals for in classes to speak, but without being noticed. Most of them are just fidgeting with our fingers.

". . . and here has been discovered a house, in the extremities of these woods. When someone discovered it, it was deserted, but now, it's believed that there is a family occupying it." Mrs. Granger said glumly. It caught my attention abruptly. I knew that she was talking of the forest surrounding and protecting the orphanage, but was the house she was talking about really the one I saw, I explored? I guess so. But that means that she, and now everyone, knows where it is, and even just that it's there. Is that a bad thing? Or a good thing? Or. . . . Confusing. Why should I care if there's a family of vampires living in a house close to the orphanage, my home?

"Paige?" she called on me for an answer.

I immediately looked tot he front of the class and spoke. "Five hundred and seventy-three acres." I responded. She had asked how many acres these woods were composed of, but said the answer at the beginning of the class. That's one thing I love about this life. I don't have to pay attention for my brain to register the information.

The day finally ended, as any day would have. Queenie settled in her bed, and her piercing gaze dug a hole in me. Finally, she looked away and turned around, her back facing me.

I could hear her silent breathing settle, and I knew she was sleeping. Just to check, I tip-toed to her side of the room, to peer at her face. Her eyes were closed, and her expression soft. Yes, she was sleeping. I tip-toed back to the window, opened it slowly and jumped out.

I breathed the cold, fresh air. It soothed me, passing through my lungs. After my moment of freedom, I was once again, racing through the thick forest, away from Queenie, away from humans . . . away from secrets.


End file.
